More on basket weaving

I used up the last of my spinifex to make a flat base or coaster, which I was rather pleased with.  Now I have to go out and find some more grasses.

Ipiri weaving using native grasses and raffia, flat

©Christine Linton

This is a detail which shows the construction quite well.

Detail of the above.  Notice the centre where I wove evenly across to make the centre stable - learnt at the workshop last weekend.

©Christine Linton

Having run out of grass, I thought of an article I had been reading about indigenous people using the fishing nets left floating uselessly, off Arnhem Land, by using the nets in place of the grass in the coiling, (this is called ghost net weaving) and I pulled out my bag of mesh nets (from bags of oranges and onions) which are very plasticky for the most part but still a usable found item.  I used them in the coiled basket below, the orange-reddish for the actual coil with red raffia for the stitching and a black one for the top coiled row, still with red raffia for the stitching.  It is rather slippery to work with and I was back to being a beginner again but will do some more of this.

Ipiri woven basket using plastic mesh bags

©Christine Linton

Now feeling adventurous enough to consider some freeform weaving (can't stay following someone else's instructions for very long) I found these websites -
http://ncbasketmakers.com/2013/high-odd.pdf
and
http://gallery.baag.com.au/?p=1576
and
http://fairegarden.wordpress.com/2010/07/26/how-to-make-iris-weavers-for-basketmaking/
with the last using iris leaves which are dried out and ready to be pulled from the plant anyway.  Wow, you really can use anything.